Thursday, February 16

Skype in First Grade

Have any of you ever used Skype in your classroom? Our school has asked that we give it a try during the next month. I'll be honest-- I have a bad attitude about it. I love technology, and I feel like I do a good job of using it. But, with so many other important things going on in my classroom---like LEARING TO READ-- I don't really want to put the time or energy into Skyping (is that a word?)

I'm sure it will be great, and hey- I might even like it after I do it- but right now I just don't want to. Maybe after I complete 100 report card assessments and finish 18 time-consuming report cards I'll have more energy :)

So, I guess I need an attitude adjustment. I'd love to know if any of you have used Skype in your classroom. What did you do? How did you and the kiddos like it? Did you ever do it again? I just need to find a little motivation. I'm the kind of person that will put 150% into any project I find worthwhile. I'm hoping you give me some great reasons to find this valuable.

If you've never used Skype at school, what do you think? Is my bad attitude justified, or should I look at this as the perfect opportunity to try something new?

Maybe, just maybe, if I beg ask really nice one of you lovely teachers would be willing to Skype with my class??! I'm sure you're just dying to, right?

12 comments:

Well, I would love to give you some encouragement, but since I don't even have an interactive board anymore, I'm not up on technology. I will say that I understand your concerns...I feel like I can barely get everything in now without having to skype!Vickie

I'm a first grade teacher who moved overseas and I use Skype all the time to stay in touch with family and friends....and I recently skyped with my BF's first grade class! I read them a book, they asked me questions about the Netherlands (where we now live), and I quizzed them about what they were learning. It was SO much fun! :)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE to skype!!!We skype with my mom every week. She also skypes with individual students each day as they read her a story. Then she asks them questions so that they can go take an AR test over the story. It's a ton of fun!We also have a skype pal class that we skype with ...like before groundhog day we skyped our predictions and talked about the weather.Good Luck! ♬Swamp Frog First Graders ♬

My first grade class has been Skyping with three different first grade classes this year and WE have learned so much!! Sometimes we just take a few minutes to ask each other questions. You know, those things that first graders wonder about other first graders. We've performed a readers' theater and read books. We also did a "Rhyme-off" with one of our Skype pal classes. It may seem scary and unnecessary at first, but you and your kiddos will learn so much!

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I'd love to give it a go with your class. I haven't tried it yet with kids so am a bit nervous like you.May be trouble with time differences though...we are in Adelaide, South Australia. Here are my details if you or anyone else is interested..Sarah.grant224@schools.sa.edu.au

About Me

I graduated from Samford University in 2004. I have taught first grade for the past 7 years and love it. I teach at an awesome school in Alabama (which also happens to be where I went to school many years ago). I love my students and my amazing first grade team. I am married to my high school sweetheart. We have two children-- ages 5 and 2.
I named my blog "Just Add Clipart" because clipart makes even the most boring things more fun to teach and learn.